Stocks to watch: Biocon, Cipla, Aurobindo Pharma, Tata Group stocks, Nocil

At 09:04 am, Nifty futures on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) were trading 14.15 points or 0.15 per cent higher at 9,167.50, indicating a flat start for the Indian market on Tuesday.

Here's a look at the top stocks that may remain in focus today

Pharma pack:  After Jubilant Life Sciences and Cipla, media reports suggest a number of Indian companies such as Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Natco Pharma, Strides Pharma Science and Zydus Cadila are in talks with the US-based Gilead Sciences for licensing Remdesivir, the experimental drug to treat Covid-19.

Aurobindo Pharma: Aurobindo Pharma, its promoter PV Ramprasad Reddy, his wife P Suneela Rani, and three other entities have settled an alleged insider trading case with markets regulator Sebi after paying over Rs 22 crore towards settlement charges.

Earnings today: Around 12 companies are slated to announce their March quarter results later in the day. The list includes names such as Cipla, Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services, Crompton Greaves Consumer, L&T Technology Services, L&T Finance Holdings, Tata Chemicals, and Aarti Drugs.

Manappuram Finance: Net profit of Manappuram Finance rose 43.68 per cent to Rs 394.97 crore in the quarter ended March 2020 as against Rs 274.90 crore in the year-ago period. Sales rose 39.83 per cent to Rs 1,605.32 crore for the quarter under review.

Tata Group, Adani Group stocks: The Tata group, the Adani group, and CESC are planning to join the race to buy the 51 per cent stake held by Reliance Infrastructure in BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd (BRPL) and BSES Yamuna Power Ltd (BYPL), reports Business Standard. 

Agri stocks: Under the second tranche of the Rs 20 trillion relief package, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced that 25 million farmers would be provided Rs 2 trillion concessional credit through kisan credit cards. The NABARD would provide Rs 30,000 crore additional emergency working capital funding for marginal and small farmers.

Nocil: Ace investor Ashish Kacholia has reduced stake in the company to 2.85 per cent in March quarter from 4.29 per cent in December quarter, while Dolly Khanna has also cut stake to 1.72 per cent from 1.83 per cent in same period, shareholding pattern data shows.

Biocon: Biotechnology major Biocon on Thursday posted a profit before tax (PBT) of Rs 204 crore for the fourth quarter of FY20, a decline of 28.2 per cent when compared with the corresponding quarter of previous financial year. READ MORE

Ircon Int'l: Ircon International has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with RZD International LLC, a subsidiary of state-owned Russian Railways Company to explore opportunities for joint development of railways and other infrastructure projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Unichem Labs: Unichem Laboratories Limited has received the Establishment Inspection Report (EIR) from United Stated Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) on May 13, 2020 for our Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) facility at Roha.

Aavas Financiers: Net profit of the company rose 9.94% to Rs 59.73 crore in the quarter ended March 2020 as against Rs 54.33 crore in the year-ago quarter. Sales rose 14.74 per cent to Rs 234.42 crore for the quarter under review.